The Threat from Terrorism and the Threat from Organized Crime - Coursework Example

The Distinction between the Threat from Terrorism and the Threat from Organized Crime The world has been in the throttlehold of two alarming epidemicknown as international terrorism and transnational organized crime for the past few decades. The World Trade Centre attack of 11 September 2002 became a haunting event which unveiled the dreadful facet of the concealed terror. Since then people all over the world have been experiencing some sort of uneasiness as if death has been looming over their heads. Though world is familiar enough with terror and violence, the recent catastrophes revealed the latest development of organized crime and terrorism. The terms terrorism and organized crime have been generally considered to be of activities having different objectives and features. Yet recent incidents have proven the active involvement of the terrorists in the organized crime and vice versa. For the sake of defining the terms, the organized crime could be called as the illegal activities performed under an organized set up intended to make profit. Where as terrorism is rather political or religious oriented crime with political objectives and involve in sabotage and other activities that would intimidate or kill a large number of people. Terrorism manifests itself standing for fighting religious, political, social and economic inequalities and exploitation. (Ghosh S.K., 1995 p.6) Almost every nation at least for a single time has confronted with certain internal or external subversive movements. Obviously every government leaves some people unsatisfied during their regime. Today terrorism and organized crime are the two sides of the same coin which can not be separated since they are having certain similarities and difference in their activities. The recent investigations have brought out the hidden linkage between the terrorist groups and transnational organized criminals. Similarities and functions According to L.I. Shelley (2002) today terrorism and transnational crime are the two central threats to our national and international threat. He describes the linkage of the two as follows; both use the similar mean to exploit the modern technology; use the same operators and same systems to move their fund; both are running a good network; and terrorists also involve in crime in order to meet fund for their activities. According to the general concept terrorism is aiming at certain changes in the political scenario. Whereas organized crime looks at fiscal benefits through the illegal means. (Schmid P., 2006.p.3). The definition seems to be rather weak in the present global scenario because the real objective of the modern terror organizations which attempt to engulf the entire world is ambiguous. Some are of the opinion that direct or indirect victims of globalization and colonialization must be the so called terrorists who attempts to take their vengeance. Obviously the aim of the organized crime is not any of these other than their profit. Yet to make their task easy they often involve in combined venture with the terrorists, especially for international trade and trafficking of drugs and weapons (Forest, 2007. p.116). Causes of terrorism The researchers are deeply at odds regarding the real cause of terrorism. One opinion suggests that the government structures and exploitative economic systems and the particular situation in which a group finds its position in society is questioned the rapid changes that disrupts the prevailing systems must be the possible reasons for many of the cases (Lutz J., 2004 pp.16-18) The displeased people persuade the members of their community with subversive ideas against the political authorities. The present world witness the terrorism in three types, they are terrorism for freedom, terrorism for domination and terrorism driven by ideology or religious fanatics. The terrorism for freedom has emerged from the suppressed people of the society who are being dominated by majority community. The Palestine Israel conflict could be counted in this category. Palestine groups, as they say have been fighting for freedom from Israel and want their own country. The second type of terrorism is found fighting for Domination. This particular category is trying to over through governments and take control on political power. In there opinion, they have been tolerating inequalities and injustice from the part of the government. For instance, the LTTE in Srilanka has been fighting for this objective for decades. The third one is the most dangerous form of terrorism the current world has been facing i.e. international terrorism which is being driven by certain religious ideologies. For instance, the al- Qaeda and Taliban which have targeted the entire world to convert in to Islam consider all other religious groups are their target in Jihad. This movement can be called as Spiritual terrorism which addresses itself as Jihad. They have no problem with a particular government yet their major concern seems to be the United States of America and some other European nations which are having a colonial or imperial history. The impacts of terrorism The global terrorism has created far reaching consequences in the social, moral and economic areas of the present world. People began to suspect the members of the other ethnic groups and that led to communal riots and violence in many parts of the world. The moral concept of the world is highly affected by terrorist distractions. Children and women were exploited and victimised more than ever before. (Danieli, D.Brom, & Sills, 2005. p.265). Crimes such as smuggling, looting, and sex racketing are flourished along with every terrorist attempt. Children and youth were perverted by the dangerous principles and set out to offer themselves for making suicide attacks. Terrorists invested huge amounts for their operations which attracted the youngsters of poor financial and educational background. ‘Ethnic conflict is not new, and religious conflict is not a new invention. The different is the ecology and the environment that violence is operated.’ (Howard, 1992 p.15) As it is same with every war, children and women were the most vulnerable groups that have been suffering the adverse effects of international terrorism. (Mullings L., pp.42-44). It is beyond any statistics that the number of deaths occurred in the attacks from the terrorists and the fights against the terror. Thousands of children every year become homeless and women miss their husbands and fathers for the sake of terrorism. Horrible uncertainty has been prevailing over these segments in many of the countries of terrorist influence. Many families lost their children, parents and siblings. Thousands of women and children are compelled to flee from their homeland every year. Sometimes children were scattered and could never meet their family again. The war conducted to suppress the terrorist in Afghan and many other parts of the world has only helped increasing the threat rather than reducing it because the US bombing has taken the unlimited number of lives; moreover it seems ridiculous to fight terror by participating in it. (Nassar, 2005.p.35). The victims of the war naturally become rivals and that presumably contribute to the further growth of terrorism. Another major impact of terrorism is the economic instability. International tourism which was one of the major sources of foreign revenue for many of the countries is very seriously affected by the global terrorism. People quit many of the places of interests because of the threat from terrorism. Tourists move to new locations were they found better safety. The study of Dracots and Kutan (2003) says that Turkey lost more than 5 percentage of its tourism market share due to the threat from terrorism. In the case of other countries Greece lost 9% and Israel less than 1percentage. It also prevented the foreign investment. (Keefer & Loayza, 2008 p.38). Organized crime is the main source of income for the modern terrorist groups. Organized crime is indulged with running illegal enterprises. They always want to conceal the source of money. According to Anderson,(1979.p.79) the major difference between the legal business enterprises and the illegal business enterprises are ; legal business provide service to the society whereas the illegal market is not providing any service but only aims at its own profit. The both criminal groups move hand in hand in their activities by providing weapons, and operating illegal businesses. Time is up to take up the cudgel to fight these intimidating international threats. The sole step taken by the UN is that it has criminalized a wide range of terrorist acts of the type. It was in 1972 the threat of international terror was inscribed in the agenda of UN Assembly; and now it has become the great agenda of the UN (Saighal, 2003 p.191). The September 11 tragedy was the remarkable incident that encouraged the leaders of the whole nations to mull over the issue at their earliest concern. According to the UN report the international terror groups al-Qaeda and its related organizations are still leveraged to operate a terror attack any where in the world. (Mukarji ,2003 p.153). Terrorism is no more a mere concern between the US and Afghan. The recent incidents show that some of the middle-east countries and Pakistan has been emerging as the new resorts of terrorists. It does not mean that all other countries are free from the terror activities. The notorious groups have already sprouted their roots in almost every places of international interest including United States and have tried to fall in to the main stream to avoid detection, reap financial gains, or exploit laws. (Ronczkowski, 2006 p.34) The United States was not entirely free from terror attacks until the September 11. According to the study of the Council on Foreign Relations, between 1980 and 2000 Americans accounted for about three quarters of the 335 terror acts committed in the United States. For example, Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995, Atlanta centennial park bombing in July 1996, Chicago and Los Angeles shooting 1999 (The Council on Foreign Relations, sept.11, 2001). Organized crime and its impacts Organized crime, more or less in the same way affects the social, economic, and political stability of the world. The major advantage that the transnational criminals enjoy is that there are not yet universally accepted measures to fight the threat from the organized crime. The organized crime is so powerful enough to influence the industrial sectors and even the economy of many of the developed countries. The book, ‘Transnational Organized Crime and International Security’ (Berdal & Serrano, 2002 p.43) puts forward a good example for this. It says that the legal industries rely on the precursor chemicals in large quantities for the cocaine and heroin processing, and attempting to restrict these chemicals can hinder legal trade and have been resisted by the chemical manufactures in the US and Europe. There is not even a single area where the organized crime has put its stranglehold. They make their income by every means like trafficking weapons, and dreadful explosives, trading drugs, involving in smuggling, operating sex rackets, money laundering etc.(Block A.,1993 p.232) they have developed there own highly equipped teams with modern weapons and operating systems. The criminals have also created national and international tie up with terrorist organizations and other rebellious groups. Their direct and indirect involvements in the political affairs have become severe burden for many of the governments all over the world. “It impacts upon security at three levels as at the international level affecting the international systems; at the national level affects the internal cohesion and finally it affects the human security imperiling numerous individuals world wide.” (Williams, 2008 p.461). Terrorism is a major hindrance for the developing countries. Most of the monetary aids from the developed countries are being reconsidered or stopped due to the terrorist activities. Most of the countries today spend a huge sum of money only for the security measures to meet the challenge of terrorism. For the countries like Pakistan and Afghan it has become a heavy burden. Amidst the chaos and anarchy organized criminals and other rebellious groups mud the water to take their own advantages. In those countries bomb explosions and suicide attacks have become an order of the day. Terrorists have been used by politics, religion, and sometimes even by the governments. The terrorists of Pakistan are the best example for that. The so called militants were created and fed by the governments with the military support as a tool to intrude into the neighboring countries. Now the groups have gone beyond the control making their own linkage with international groups of the same interest. Moreover the country has fallen in utter muddle. The well known terrorist groups of today are the rival Palastine groups, Hezbullah of Lebanon, Lashkar e Toiba of Pakistan etc. (Harmon C., 2000 p.28) The terrorists often aim the common people to demonstrate their strength by causing horrible explosions at the crowdie areas like air ports, railways and bus stations. National and international celebrities, people of high importance are also under the threat of terror attack. Until the September 11 attack the international terrorism was not an important subject for the common people to discuss with. Since the incident volumes have been written on international terrorism and organized crime. The world realized that it has entered a new era of terrorism. (Smelser, 2002. p.7)(National research council US) Psychology of organized crime and terrorism The recent incidents have made certain particular religious groups to be the perpetrators. However terror campaign can be found with other world religions also like Christianity, Hinduism and Judaism. Terrorism is not the agenda of any particular religion. The case is same with the organized criminals also. They are not the products of any bad family background or genetic hierarchy. (Homer & Caputo, 1974 p.48). The living conditions and cultural background influence the people in this aspect also. Influenced by the ideology or compelled by force many people of certain cultural groups follow the path of organized crime and violence. Countering the threats The world is at high alert to face the threats from terrorist attacks. Yet international level solutions and strategies are to be designed in order to meet these challenges effectively. International level of law enforcement is lacking in this regard (Biersteker, 2007 p.260). To conclude, there should be proper systems to observe and prevent illegal immigrants and intruders in every country. The financial source of every organization and its fiscal policies and transactions should be verified. Governments have to scrutinize the flow of charitable funds and donations to the organizations. The war against terrorism is the war against organized crime too. Any attempt to oppress any of this crime would find success only if they are considered to be the different dimensions of the same issue. The only difference between these two is in their objectives. The uncertainty is not in understanding the threats from these two but regarding the enforcement of effective measures to fight them. Bibliography Anderson 1979, The Business of Organized Crime. Hoover Press, p.79 Al-Khattar 2003, Religion and Terrorism: an interfaith perspective. Greenwood Publishing Group, p.26 Block A.1993, Space, Time and Organized Crime 2nd edn. Transaction Publishers p.232 Biersteker J. & Eckert E., 2007 Countering the Financing of Terrorism, illustrated edn. Taylor & Francis Berdal R. & Serano 2002, Transnational Organized Crime and International Security Lynne Rienner Publishers, p.43 Danieli, Brom D. & Sills 2005 The Trauma of Terrorism. Illustrated edn. Rowman & Little Field p.35 Forest J.F. 2007, Countering terrorism and insurgency in the 21st century, Greenwood Publishing Group. Ghosh S.K 1995,Terrorism, World under Siege, APH Publishing. Viewed 2nd May 2009 Harmon C 2000, Terrorism Today, illustrated edn. Routledge. p.28 Homer D. & Caputo A. 1974, Guns and Garlic. Purdue University Press, p.48 Howard 1992, Terrorism: roots, impacts, responses. Greenwood Publishing Group, p.15. Viewed 2nd May 2009 Keefer & Loayza 2008, Terrorism, Economic Development, and Political Openness, illustrated edn.Cambridge University Press, p.38 Luts J. B 2004, Global Terrorism, illustrated edn. Routledge, pp.16-18. Mullings L, Marquart, & Hartley (eds.) The Victimization of Children Emerging Issues, Haworth Press,.pp.42-44 Mukarji A. 2003, Afghanistan from Terror to Freedom. Illustrated edn. Sterling Publishers pvt.ltd. p.153 Nassar R.2005, Globalization and Terrorism: The Migration of Dreams and Nightmares. Rowman & Littlefield, p.35 Ronczkowski 2006, Terrorism and Organized Hate Crime: intelligence gathering, analysis, and investigations. 2nd edn. Illustrated, CRC Press, p.34 Schmid P. 2006, Forum on Crime and Society, United Nations Publications, p.3 Shelley 2002, The Nexus of Organized Internationals and Terrorism. International Annals of Criminology. Viewed 2nd May 2009, Saighal V 2003, Dealing with Global Terrorism; The Way Forward. Sterling Publishers Pvt.ltd. p.191 Smelser J. N. 2002, Terrorism: perspectives from the behavioral and social science. Illustrated edn. National Academies Press p.7. (National Reach Council US) viewed 2 May 2009, Williams P. 2008, Security Studies: An Introduction. Illustrated edn. Taylor & Francis. Viewed 2nd May 2009, Other sources Alexander Y.1992, International Terrorism. Martinus Nijoff Publishers Mahan &Neil 1998, Beyond the Mafia: Organized Crime in the Americas, SAGE (pub.). Viewed 2nd May 2009 Netanyahu 1981, International Terrorism: Challenge and Response, Transaction Publishers Read More